LGBT fostering
LGBT people make fantastic foster carers. Your life experience, empathy, and understanding of identity and belonging can offer children a powerful sense of safety and acceptance. Children and young people thrive when they are cared for by adults who celebrate diversity and create a home where everyone is respected for who they are.
You do not need to be heterosexual, cisgender, or in a traditional family structure to foster. What matters is your ability to provide warmth, stability, and a supportive environment where a child can grow and feel valued.
Can LGBT people foster?
Yes. LGBT people can foster, and many already do. UK fostering regulations are clear: your sexual orientation or gender identity does not affect your eligibility to foster.
We welcome carers who are:
- Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning
- Single, married, or in a partnership
- Living with or without children
- From any cultural, religious, or ethnic background
Your identity is respected, and your home can be a place where children learn that families come in many forms.
Why LGBT foster carers matter
LGBT foster carers bring strengths that can make a meaningful difference to children, including:
- Empathy and understanding of what it means to navigate difference
- Strong communication skills and emotional insight
- A commitment to inclusion, acceptance, and respect
- Positive role-modelling for children exploring their own identity
- A home where diversity is celebrated
Children who have experienced discrimination or uncertainty often feel especially supported in LGBT-led households.
Support for LGBT foster carers
We make sure all foster carers feel supported, valued, and included. You will have access to:
- Pre-approval training designed to prepare you for fostering
- Ongoing learning, available in accessible formats
- 24/7 support, including an out-of-hours service
- Financial allowances to cover the cost of caring for a child
- Peer networks, including opportunities to meet other LGBT carers
- Advice if a child has questions about identity or inclusion
Our aim is to ensure you feel confident and supported at every stage.
Challenging myths about LGBT fostering
There are many misconceptions about who can foster. Here are some common myths:
“Children need a mum and a dad.”
Children need love, stability, and safety—not a specific family structure.
“LGBT people won’t be approved.”
LGBT people are welcomed and supported throughout the assessment process.
“A child might be confused.”
Children benefit from seeing diverse, inclusive families.
“Only couples can foster.”
Single LGBT carers foster successfully every day.
Why children thrive in LGBT-led homes
Children placed with LGBT foster carers often experience:
- A strong sense of acceptance
- Positive role-modelling around identity and resilience
- Open, honest communication
- A home where differences are celebrated
- Support to explore their interests and aspirations
Your presence can help a child feel safe, understood, and proud of who they are.
Thinking about LGBT fostering?
If you are caring, patient, and ready to make a difference, fostering could be a meaningful way to support children in your community. Our team will guide you through the process, answer your questions, and help you understand what fostering involves.